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The Bad Sleep Well

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The Bad Sleep Well

Released Jan 22, 1962

2h 24m

Crime

Drama

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19 Reviews

91%

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5,000+ Ratings

In this loose adaptation of "Hamlet," illegitimate son Kôichi Nishi (Toshirô Mifune) climbs to a high position within a Japanese corporation and marries the crippled daughter (Kyôko Kagawa) of company vice president Iwabuchi (Masayuki Mori). At the reception, the wedding cake is a replica of their corporate headquarters, but an aspect of the design reminds the party of the hushed-up death of Nishi's father. It is then that Nishi unleashes his plan to avenge his father's death.

Ed Park

Village Voice

Opening with a bravura wedding sequence and ending with a sycophantic bow to a replaced telephone receiver, the film has its longueurs, but Mifune's buttoned-down avenger is a compelling portrait of righteous obsession foundering on unpredictable reality.

Jun 19, 2008

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Tom Milne

Time Out

Kurosawa rather loaded the film on the side of social significance, while neglecting to capitalise on the noir aspects that underlie it. Even so, his use of the 'scope screen is masterly.

Jan 26, 2006

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Nick Schager

Slant Magazine

A freestyle homage to Hamlet that does away with the costumed faithfulness of Kurosawa's other Shakespeare adaptations.

Rated: 3.5/4

Jan 9, 2006

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Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

Kurosawa constructs a Shakespearean revenge plot that illustrates, with much pathos, an argument about corporate corruption in postwar Japanese society, with a compelling and restrained performance by Toshiro Mifune. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 7/10

May 15, 2021

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James Berardinelli

ReelViews

Kurosawa's mastery of the story is evident.

Rated: 3/4

Mar 9, 2021

Full Review

Hoshi Soffen

Shin Nichibei/New Japanese American News

[The Bad Sleep Well] is a daring film revealing the existence of corruption and scandal within any high financing enterprise in any society. The message that haunts us is that everything will be hushed up again by the smooth operating higher-ups.

Oct 22, 2019

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Dani G

For me it was one of the more ho-hum films of Kurosawa, with some things that just don't click, including acting and music... Plus the script it's not that clever

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

05/03/25

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Insomniac X

Scathing portrait of corporate corruption in postwar Japan featuring a restrained leading performance by Toshiro Mifune. Unfortunately hampered by a convoluted plot, awkward pacing, and anticlimactic finale.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/03/25

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Alec B

Come for the reworking of "Hamlet" in 1960s corporate Japan, stay for the tension filled Noir atmosphere.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/08/24

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dustin d

The Bad Sleep Well is a surprising, real-world revenge movie. It starts out slow and confusing, but is worth the investment of time and attention.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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william d

The movie starts out with a wonderfully strange wedding reception, then loses steam from there. It's not bad, just not good enough to recommend.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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tom k

The ending was a bit disappointing, but then again knowing how Kurosawa enjoys Shakespeare, the tragic and realistic ending is apropos.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Akira Kurosawa

Director

Toshiro Mifune

Koichi Nishi

Takeshi Kato

Itakura

Masayuki Mori

Company President Iwabuchi

Kyoko Kagawa

Yoshiko Nishi

Tatsuya Mihashi

Tatsuo Iwabuchi

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Synopsis

In this loose adaptation of "Hamlet," illegitimate son Kôichi Nishi (Toshirô Mifune) climbs to a high position within a Japanese corporation and marries the crippled daughter (Kyôko Kagawa) of company vice president Iwabuchi (Masayuki Mori). At the reception, the wedding cake is a replica of their corporate headquarters, but an aspect of the design reminds the party of the hushed-up death of Nishi's father. It is then that Nishi unleashes his plan to avenge his father's death.

Director: Akira Kurosawa
Producer: Akira Kurosawa, Tomoyuki Tanaka
Screenwriter: Shinobu Hashimoto, Eijirô Hisaita, Ryûzô Kikushima, Akira Kurosawa, Hideo Oguni
Production Co: Kurosawa Production, Toho Company
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: Japanese
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 22, 1962, Wide
Release Date (DVD): Jan 10, 2006
Runtime: 2h 24m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)